The work on the ambitious project of the AIIMS had hit a roadblock for nearly two years. However, with the tunnel becoming fully operational from Friday, it will enable quick transfer of critical patients from the hospital to the AIIMS Trauma Centre - from 30 minutes to just five minutes.

The 997-metre-long tunnel, work for which started in 2012, cost Rs 40 crore.

It is the first such project to be implemented in the country, wherein a road tunnel has been constructed above an operational Metro tunnel with a minimum clearance of 1.6 metres.

The height of the tunnel is 4.2 metres and the carriageway is 7 metres, excluding a footpath of 1.5 metres, according to DMRC officials said.

At present, the ambulance services transporting patients from AIIMS main campus to the trauma centre — located on the congested Ring Road between Safdarjung Hospital and Bhikaji Cama Place — during peak traffic hours take at least 30 minutes.

The facility will now be used by the ambulances, hospital staff and the family of the patients.

Besides. the PM also laid the foundation stone of the National Centre for Ageing at AIIMS which will be built in a year and a half at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.